Inish Theatre Group is bursting with pride as two of its rising stars, Leighton Downey and Lily May Tolley, have been selected to perform in the AIMS 60th Anniversary Concert at the prestigious Convention Centre Dublin in October.
Representing Ulster, Leighton and Lily May will take to the stage alongside the very best of youth talent from across the country.
Their selection came following an exceptionally competitive audition process run by the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS), with hundreds of talented young people from all over Ireland vying for a place in the cast.
Leighton and Lily May dedicated weeks of preparation, pouring their energy, passion, and talent into their auditions, and their hard work has paid off.
Spokesperson for Inish Theatre Group, Adrian Mc Myler, spoke with deep pride about what this means to the group and to the local community: “When we set up ITG, our vision was clear — to give the children of our community a platform to explore their love for musical theatre, and to aim for stages far beyond our own. To see Leighton and Lily May now representing Ulster at a national level is a dream realised. This is what we hoped for — and it’s only the beginning. We are so proud of them. Their success is a powerful reminder that big dreams can happen in small communities.”
The moment is especially meaningful for Sean and Maureen Loughrey Tolley, proud parents of Lily May and founding members of Inish Theatre Group: “We are absolutely over the moon for Lily May. From a young age, she has dreamed of performing on big stages, and this is a huge milestone on that journey. Seeing her recognised in this way fills us with pride, not just as parents, but also as people who helped build ITG from the ground up.
“We’re also overjoyed for Leighton — a young man who works so hard every single week and brings kindness and humility into every room he walks into. We’ve watched him grow and shine, and we are thrilled to see him getting the recognition he so deserves.”
Leighton’s parents shared similar emotions, reflecting not only on their son’s achievement but on the close bond between the two performers: “We are so proud of Leighton and everything he has accomplished. Being chosen for such an important event is a credit to the time and effort he has put into his craft. He lives and breathes theatre, and the joy it brings him is something special. We also want to say how delighted we are for Lily May — Leighton and Lily May are the best of wee friends, and going through this experience together makes it all the more meaningful. Their friendship and shared passion for the stage is something beautiful.”
The ITG Committee extended their heartfelt gratitude to AIMS for opening this door to young performers like Leighton and Lily May: “We cannot thank AIMS enough for their ongoing support of youth talent in Ireland. By creating opportunities like the 60th Anniversary Concert, they are lifting young voices, empowering creativity, and validating the work of small theatre groups like ours who believe that musical theatre can change lives. This is a proud day for Inish Theatre Group and the entire community of Buncrana.”
As they step onto a national stage, Leighton and Lily May carry with them the hopes, pride, and love of their town and their theatre family. And for Inish Theatre Group, this is just the beginning of many more success stories to come.
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